Wills finishes fifth on platform at FINA World Junior Championships

Tyler Wills (The Indiana International School of Diving) finished fifth in the 16-18 boys’ platform event on Sunday, the final day of competition at the FINA World Junior Diving Championships in Montreal.

Wills finished with a score of 465.65. Wills’ highest-scoring dive came in the last round of the finals when his reverse 3½ somersaults tuck scored 81.60 points. Luca Fassi (Rose Bowl Aquatics) missed the finals after placing 21st in the preliminaries with a score of 381.80. Fassi’s strongest dive came in the eighth round with his forward 3½ somersaults pike scoring 54.00. Canada’s Matt Cullen won gold, Brazil’s Diogo Silva took silver, and Great Britain’s Robbie Lee earned bronze.

Sunday also marked the conclusion of the Junior International High Diving Championships held in conjunction with the FINA World Junior Diving Championships. The U.S. had six high divers participate, with Gabby Mauder and Sydney Kowalski placing third in their events.

Mauder finished third in the girls’ 12-meter high dive competition. She was third heading into Sunday’s final two rounds and held onto her spot to finish with 240.30 points, including 66.60 on her forward triple somersault with a half twist. Maya Kelly ended the competition in sixth place with a score of 214.20, with 74.40 points on her back two somersaults pike. Zara Karimi finished the competition in eighth place with 155.80 points, with her forward armstand 1 ½ somersault with a half twist scoring 53.20. Ukraine’s Nelli Chukanivska took first, and Anna Wylie from Canada was second.

In the girls’ 15-meter high diving event, Kowalski finished third with 221.65 points, including 66.50 for her back double somersault with two twists. Canada’s Simone Leathead placed first, followed by Mexico’s Alejandra Sofi Aguilar Tovar.

In boys’ 12-meter high diving, USA’s Thomas Matheis improved to sixth place with a total score of 207.00. His best dive was his inward double somersault with a half twist that scored 67.20. Canada’s Charles-Antoine Labadie won the event, Great Britain’s Archie Biggin took second, and Spain’s Hugo Rodriguez Gozalbes rounded out the top three.

Ben Mattera represented the United States in the boys’ 15-meter high diving event and improved to ninth place with a total score of 172.45. Mattera’s highest-scoring dive was his inward double somersault with a half twist that scored 59.40. Italy’s Andrea Barnaba won the event, followed by Ukraine’s Stepan Movchan and Canada’s Carter Baker.